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The losers of the election

After church this past Sunday, I was ready to storm the castle gates. I don't know what I would be storming up to, but in other words, I was just really hyped on a number of levels.It's no surprise that the election would make its way into pulpits, and this past Sunday it did where I attend church. For so many people, notably church-goers and Christians, we tend to confuse the idea that the choice of President is almost like choosing a preacher. But as a reminder (and I'm stealing this phrase), we're not looking for a Pastor-in-Chief, but a Commander-in-Chief.On the other hand, we as Bible-believers must make our selection based on which candidate holds true to biblical principles. At church, we looked at four different aspects on what a leader should promote--reverence to God, respect of unborn life, the reinforcement of family values and a recognition of the country's responsibility to Israel.But out of all four points--in which all were excellently presented, I think the biggest thing that impacted me in the sermon was the second point in respecting unborn life. The Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973 through Roe v. Wade. Since that federal ruling, some estimates point to around 52 million abortions performed; those who were first aborted would be 39 years old today.And because I believe that life begins at conception, and the Bible pinpoints that God formed, knew, and loved us before we were born (thus the acknowledgment of us as human beings in the womb), I stand on the belief that abortion is murder.I hold to that belief, but I also make that statement in loving truth. Sadly, so many people will use God as their reasoning to take ugly actions and harmful words to belittle pro-choice advocates, and may I never take that stance in presenting my case.But when we look at those lives lost from abortion, we must look at how that can affect future generations. What if one of those people could have cured cancer? Brought radical and positive change to our country and the world? ...What if you had lost your best friend from abortion? Your brother, sister, cousin? Your future spouse?Abortion, the right to choose and women's rights have become a central issue within the election; some would say that it trumps the economy. And sadly, both candidates' opinions on abortion lead to lives lost. President Obama is pro-choice, but the other day I saw a question posed that made me think. If an aborted baby was a female--and our President believes in a woman's right to choose, what then happened to her choice of life or death? Did she, in fact, lose that right to choose, thus nullifying the pro-choice agenda? I believe, yes.And still, Governor Romney is pro-abortion in instances of rape, incest and when the livelihood of the mother is at stake. Unfortunately, this reasoning is detrimental to those who wish to support a pro-life candidate.However, it must be noted that Romney's stance would bring about the saving of some lives. With 1.2 million abortions taking place annually in America, some estimates count that around 80% of abortions would be put to an end under this mindset. While I wish for all little lives to be saved, a leader who can keep a majority of lives is one worth considering.So when we look at the "losers" of this election season, it's not Big Bird from the fall out of the first debate, or the moderators who, in my opinion, failed to do a fair job and keep order on the stage. It's the tiny humans, who don't get that chance to live a life, never get to take part in life's milestones...never get the chance to cast a ballot.Our vote on November 6 shouldn't just be for a candidate. For everyone, it should be to make a statement for what we believe and to be a public demonstration on where you stand. As a twenty-five year old, my vote makes an impact, but not just for the here and now. It's for future generations, my niece and nephews, and my potential children and grandchildren--if I'm blessed with the opportunity in my lifetime.And for those of us who call ourselves "pro-life", our vote should also be cast for those baby lives never lived who never got the opportunity to vote. ...See you at the polls.Belinda Serrano is a staff writer at the Sweetwater Reporter. Comments about this column may be e-mailed to editor@sweetwaterreporter.com.